


The Day Hope Died

by GintaxAlvissforever



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Assassination, Betrayal, Cycle of Revenge, Execution, F/F, F/M, Guro, Hurt No Comfort, Implied Relationships, Jealousy, Love Triangles, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Original Character(s), Post-Black Eagles Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Post-Canon, Ruined wedding, Tearjerker, Tragedy, War, Wedding Planning, no beta we die like Glenn, prisoners of war
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2021-01-23 08:06:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21316897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GintaxAlvissforever/pseuds/GintaxAlvissforever
Summary: "I gave up my godhood for a better future but I was given death and despair for all my hardship."The partnership between Fodlan and Almyra almost happened. Byleth and Claude were to be wed and bridge the gap after years of separation. Tragedy strikes the wedding when Claude dies. Not knowing if it was an accident or an assassination attempt, Almyra declares war on Fodlan showing just how badly the Black Eagle Strike Forces messed everything up.First Almyra attacks, next those of the Alliance who never approved of the Empire turn coat. Finally, those who were spared will turn their weapons toward the Empire.
Relationships: Caspar von Bergliez/Linhardt von Hevring, Dorothea Arnault/Petra Macneary, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier, Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra, My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 16
Kudos: 17





	The Day Hope Died

**Author's Note:**

> There are a lot of what if scenarios that I noticed happen with the routes. Like, there are stories where Byleth still ends up with Claude despite picking the Blue Lions. I don't think there is anyone who have Claude despite picking Edelgard despite Claude being spared.
> 
> I have a lot of problems with Edelgard's route and I kind of wanted to exploit it just a bit. With how much Edelgard lies and becomes like Rhea making the journey feel worthless for me, I can imagine that it wouldn't take long for history to repeat itself where Byleth's influence wouldn't matter. Either way, this idea came from me doing an outline for Caspar's post timeskip Vanquished Heroes porn and then realizing that this could be a full-blown story. So not only do I have to redo Caspar's idea, but I got a story of a Byleth/Claude Crimson Flower fic.
> 
> Unfortunately, this is a tragedy fic so lots of tears here…and porn. There's going to be porn too. This story will have events out of order to create the feeling that the events happening now could be traced back to many moments in time…
> 
> Byleth is male. Beth is female.

**Guardian Moon 11** **th** **, 1188**

There was a girl that had a dream of a world where people would no longer be able to use their status to rise to power. A society of merit guaranteed that those who were worthy would be able to rule over others. This meant toppling the system that allowed this inequality to begin in the first place. The Church of Seiros needed to be torn down. The Kingdom and the Alliance needed to become one with the Adrestrian Empire again. Those Who Slither in the Dark must be eradicated from the face of Fodlan. Only then would the dawn of the new world begin.

Two years. That's how long this perfect world lasted. Two years. The short time of peace only came to an end by a tragic incident that resulted in another war that was not in favor of the Empire.

Truly, it was a tragic accident. That day was supposed to be a day of nations joining hands and destroying the walls between Fodlan and Almyra. The new crowned prince of Almyra turned out to be the very same Claude von Riegan of the former Leicester Alliance. At some point in time after killing Rhea and taking over the Kingdom, Claude had showed up and proposed to Byleth. Her beloved professor had spared him on the day the Black Eagle Strike Force conquered the Alliance. Claude did say he would return the favor but that didn't mean much for Edelgard. She didn't think it was the correct choice with how shifty he was. Turns out, he had plans to tie Fodlan and Almyra together just not in the way she or anyone else suspected.

The most surprising thing was that Byleth had accepted his proposal. The cool, emotionless professor had fallen in love with Claude. There wasn't any time during the war to do so. Hubert assumed that it was probably dormant feelings during their time in the academy. Regardless, their marriage would prove beneficial to everyone. Even if Edelgard wasn't liked by the people in the Alliance territory, Byleth was still seen positively if only because they witnessed him spare their former leader despite being the enemy. The fact Claude still held Byleth in high esteem also told the Alliance what they needed to know.

The day of the wedding ended in Claude's death. What was supposed to be the happiest day for Byleth ended up as the worst day. Edelgard barely remembered what transpired during the wedding. The two exchanged their vows and swore to be together. They were about to kiss, and something happened. So much screaming. So much blood. Byleth's mask broken in the wrong way. A scream to Sothis despite the Goddess no longer being worshipped…

Despite the accident, the Almyrans took it as an assassination attempt and declared war on the Empire. They forced their way through Fodlan's Throat killing anyone who was in their way. Edelgard was certain that Holst and Caspar lost their lives that day, but she was never able to get a confirmation.

The anger the Alliance held toward her combusted. They allowed the Almyrans to pass through Alliance territory if it meant getting revenge on Claude. The bridge was another location of consistent battles, but the bodies stacked up faster than the five-year wars that occurred two years ago.

Too many things went wrong. Believing the Alliance would continue to hate the Almyrans proved fatal. Holst was missing but Hilda and Lorenz were still around. Hilda always held discontent for the Empire after the seize of Derdriu. There was hope to a new future if Claude was around. With him gone, she had no problem turning to the very people her family had fought for years. Lorenz was the last person who would turn against the Empire after seven years of showing support to them. Perhaps he did value Claude's friendship and Hilda persuaded him to turn against what his father wanted.

When the Alliance teamed up with Almyra, things went from bad to worse. The Kingdom had remained neutral in contrast due to still trying to rebuild what was lost in the war. It wasn't until the "end" of the war did the former nobles left alive for originally siding with Edelgard declared war on her too.

Edelgard lost allies one by one until she wasn't surprised that she was alone again. If her allies weren't captured, they were killed. She learned that Caspar had been taken in as a prisoner of war. Linhardt soon ended up captured due to her negligence. Petra was killed and Dorothea was captured. And the Black Eagle Strike Force continued to get smaller and smaller.

Hubert didn't tell Edelgard what happened to Bernadetta. She assumed the worst happened to the poor girl. But it was better than learning of Ferdinand's death…

Even as more students dropped dead, the person in the center of all of this chose to not engage in combat. Claude's death destroyed Byleth in a way no one would have imagined. Byleth had been prepared to put away his sword and live peacefully with Claude in Almyra. With his death, Byleth shut himself in his room within the palace. He refused to leave unless Beth came at his door. He just…lost the will to care.

If the Almyrans stormed the palace and desired his life, he would offer it to him. Of course, his sister wouldn't allow that to happen. She was not targeted by the Almyrans, but they would attack her if she interfered with their goal. And they only had three goals.

1\. They wanted Edelgard's head on a pike. They would stop at nothing to extract him.

2\. They wanted the corpse of their Almyran prince. Despite what happened, Edelgard refused to return the body to the homeland. It wasn't the Emperor being spiteful. Byleth refused to depart without Claude even if the prince was no longer of this world. Which leads to the third goal.

3\. They wanted to bring Byleth back to Almyra and will use force if necessary. Whatever Claude told his family, they truly believed that the former mercenary was not involved in the tragedy and deserved better than what the Empire gave him. With how unresponsive Byleth was being, it was difficult to determine what he really thought.

Even when the Almyrans broke down the doors into the palace, Byleth refused to leave. The one thing that Edelgard could be relieved at was the Almyrans really wouldn't kill her beloved professor. Not like it mattered. She would meet her end with the other members of the Black Eagles.

Despite everything, Edelgard made a mental note how the Empire was able to get rid of two of the four generals of Almyra. They lost so many soldiers just trying to get to her. They finally have their target and intended to execute her the day after. Normally, the Almyrans would kill their enemies and that would be the end. The king wanted to make an example out of her, so she would be executed at three in the afternoon.

Edelgard had been stripped of her title and dignity in the blink of an eye. She had been thrown into the cell of her palace. Her weapons had been taken away from her. Even if no one can wield Aymr, she no longer had access to it. No one would save her from her pending doom.

Time went by quickly while she was stuck in the cell thinking of everything that had gone wrong within the year. Hubert warned her about her feelings getting the best of her. She was tired of war like everyone else was, and yet…this war will be seen as her instigating it despite the peace she tried to bring.

She refused to cry at her misfortune. She would stand tall until the bitter end, but the King of Almyra would not make things easy for her.

The next day was her execution. The Almyrans had already done damage to Enbarr. They trampled over everything the Empire stood for. Edelgard resented the barbarians that cared not about the people in the Empire. She should have been the sole target, but they didn't mind killing more people from Fodlan should they get in their way. Those who were against the Emperor cheered for her to be executed. Those who supported her were either killed or taken in as prisoners. Information specialists claimed repeatedly that Almyra weren't one for taking prisoners seeing it as barbaric but were now making exceptions. Claude's death was worth going against their morals for the sake of tormenting their enemies.

Edelgard couldn't help but laugh to herself seeing the King of Almyra with only two of his generals. Last year, Fodlan and Almyra joined to celebrate the union between Byleth and Claude. Everyone danced until the break of dawn. They drank until they couldn't drink anymore. They congratulated the grooms for their engagement and prayed that they'd have a happy marriage. The King of Almyra tried to maintain a face of indifference but ended up breaking down in tears seeing his son so happy. Now, he looked upon the Emperor with eyes like her own when she resolved herself to ridding Fodlan of the Church of Seiros. The King of Almyra intended to rid the world of what he considered evil.

If there was one thing Edelgard wished she could have done, it was getting rid of the sadistic Almyran general known as Alibaba. He had caused the most damage of all four of the generals and was evil by nature. He always gave off the feeling that he adored bloodshed and suffering and the war was an excuse to exposes his true nature. Alibaba was the one that had captured her allies and executed many others in a gruesome manner. The king had allowed Alibaba to bring his war captives to the execution. Edelgard barely recognized her former friends. Alibaba stripped them of their clothes and honor.

Caspar had been captured first and thought to have died at the beginning of the war. He lost weight…his muscles weren't as prominent as if he was prevented from training. The former warrior was marked head to toe with purple bruises…some darker than others. The fire in his eyes that Caspar always had when training had all but vanished. The collar around his neck was a slap in the face to his character. The fact Alibaba tied him to a poll with his other captives only rubbed salt on the wound.

Linhardt didn't fare any better. On the surface, he seemed as disinterested as usual, but he had dark eye rings under his eye. The former bishop always got enough sleep even if he complained that he never got enough. As a prisoner of war, Alibaba wouldn't let him get the amount of rest he needed, and he appeared to be a shell of his former shelf. His hair had been cut at some point leaving him with short, messy hair. Linhardt was tied next to his childhood friend. They were "a pair" as Alibaba put it.

Dorothea had the worst of the three. Edelgard couldn't stop the tragedy that befell her. Petra died protecting her and Byleth. She took down one of the Almyran generals beforehand, but the cost was too great. The beauty that Dorothea was known for all sense vanished. She wasn't allowed to maintain her make-up as a captive. The songstress' eyes were dulled over. Her tears had all but dried up. It was like she was a manikin at this point. Compared to Caspar and Linhardt, she had black tallies all over her once beautiful body. Outside of the tally marks, insulting slurs were written over her rather huge stomach.

Of all her dead friends, Edelgard was fortunate that she had time to bury Ferdinand's body. If the Almyrans got a hold of their corpses, they would make an example out of them. Hubert was not one of them. He was the latest death and Byleth prevented Hubert's body from being tarnished by the Almyrans. If only Byleth had the willpower to stop this madness…

Edelgard didn't even want to see the heads of her friends on a spike. Petra and Lysithea didn't deserve this type of degradation.

"You will be joining the ranks of the dead," the King of Almyra spoke solemnly.

The Emperor remained silent. There was nothing she could say or do that would stop her execution. Even if the world had turned on her…even if her friends had been either killed or captured…even if Byleth no longer wanted anything to do with her…Edelgard believed that Byleth would still make the right choice.

But what was the right choice at this point? The war started from her mistake. The fall of the Fodlan she dreamed of was all because of her jealousy. Everything that led to this moment…was because Edelgard von Hresvelg allowed her pride and envy to consume her in a moment that was supposed to be the happiest day of her beloved's life…

**Author's Note:**

> TBC with 2706 words. Notes!
> 
> 1\. So this chapter would be near the end of the story. It would be easier to list the amount of character that are dead by this point, but I rather have people speculating on why some characters got killed versus being taken in as war criminals.
> 
> 2\. I do have a name for Claude's dad. It's just not stated now due to how this chapter is sort of Edelgard POV but not really. She doesn't bother to recall his name but of the four generals, she maintains the name of Alibaba as the one who single-handedly destroyed her friends.
> 
> Next chapter will go to the beginning of the tail AKA after Crimson Flower. And then there might be some skipping around.


End file.
